#RNLI - Wexford RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew rescued a man within a minute of him entering the water near Wexford Bridge on Wednesday afternoon (28 October).
The boat was just about to launch for an assessment of two prospective crew members when shore crew and tractor driver David Dempsey spotted something falling into the water out of the corner of his eye.
The lifeboat continued to launch at 2:33pm and was on scene within one minute. In the meantime a member of the public had thrown a lifebouy into the water and the casualty was able to hold onto it.
He was quickly recovered into the lifeboat at 2.34pm and the boat was back at the lifeboat station at 2.35pm, where the casualty was treated for mild hypothermia. Ambulance personnel provided further treatment and brought him to hospital.
Wexford RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer Lorraine Galvin said: "The fact that the lifeboat was ready to launch and was there within a minute of the man falling into the water saved his life, [not to mention] the fast response by a member of the public who threw a ringbouy into the water.
"The two volunteer lifeboat crew who were on assessment at the time had the opportunity to put their training to the test in a real rescue scenario."
The lifeboat crew involved in this rescue were helm Frank O'Brien and Fintan O'Donoghue, trainee crew Ger Doran and Marcin Maksimiuk, and tractor driver David Dempsey.
